109DD. Off Doncaster Road, Dalton, Rotherham, South Yorkshire Installed on the roadways leading into, and also around the internal roads of, the Liberty Special Steels factory, are a number of 35 ft (10 m) Stewart & Lloyd tubular steel columns supporting lanterns that resemble the GEC Z9504C 'Clearmain' lantern, for 200 Watt SLI/H (linear low pressure sodium) lamps; however, these run two 90 Watt SOX (standard low pressure sodium) lamps instead, and this does not appear to be an on-site conversion, following the obsolescence of SLI/H lamps towards the end of the 1980s, which, in GEC coding, probably means that they carry a different part to this. The 'C' suffix at the end of the lantern code denotes that they are fitted with a cut-off bowl, intended for casting the luminous flux directly downwards, rather than through the sides of the lantern too.
The installations probably date from when the nationalised British Steel Corporation controlled both this site, as well as the Stewart & Lloyd factories and many other steelworks too. This column is located at the junction of Doncaster Road, and is fitted with two inspection doors; presumably, to cater for both lamp control gear sets.
The cut-off bowl features a distinctive boat-like shape.
Although the bowl appears to be metallic, it is moulded acrylic with a reflective coating applied. The underside is transparent, however.
The second column is by the entrance gates, with a third (out of view here) being beyond the security office. Newer columns supporting AEC Lunoide lanterns are visible on the left-hand side of the road.
The rivets holding internal reflectors to the inside of the bowl are visible on the sides.
Two installations were pictured together on one of the internal roads; these were seen from Aldwarke Lane.
I suspect that these lanterns may not work any longer, although they must have looked spectacular when they did, when only their undersides would have been visible.
The bracket pipes are of a wider diameter than the lantern spigots can accommodate, but do reduce in diameter at the point where they enter the lantern.
A second entrance was located further along Aldwarke Lane, with this installation provided to illuminate the junction.
The cut-off bowl is missing, allowing the lantern interior to be appreciated. Only a single lamp survives - perhaps, the second lamps were removed as an energy-saving initiative.
A Philips-made lamp, dating from around the early 1990s (going on the construction of its arc tube support), is fitted.
The lamp supports are the typical sprung GEC type, and are the main reason that I think that the lanterns were made like this, instead of being converted from SLI/H operation. The bayonet lampholders also appear to be a GEC design.
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